Before the servant had finished praying, Rebekah came out with her jar on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel son of Milcah, the wife of Abraham’s brother Nahor.
Parallel translations
- WEB Before he had finished speaking, behold, Rebekah came out, who was born to Bethuel the son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham’s brother, with her pitcher on her shoulder.
- KJV And it came to pass, before he had done speaking, that, behold, Rebekah came out, who was born to Bethuel, son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham’s brother, with her pitcher upon her shoulder.
- NKJV And it happened, before he had finished speaking, that behold, Rebekah, who was born to Bethuel, son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham’s brother, came out with her pitcher on her shoulder.
- NASB And it came about, before he had finished speaking, that behold, Rebekah, who was born to Bethuel the son of Milcah, the wife of Abraham’s brother Nahor, came out with her jar on her shoulder.
- NLT Before he had finished praying, he saw a young woman named Rebekah coming out with her water jug on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel, who was the son of Abraham’s brother Nahor and his wife, Milcah.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Before he finishes praying, Rebekah, of Abraham's own kindred, arrives with her pitcher. God answers the prayer even before it is fully spoken.
Overview
The immediate arrival of Rebekah, born into Abraham's family line, displays God's prompt and precise providence. The timing underscores that the Lord was directing every step. The covenant line will continue through this woman whom God so clearly provides.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 18
- Gen 11:29And Abram and Nahor took wives for themselves. Abram’s wife was named Sarai, and Nahor’s wife was named Milcah; she was the daughter of Haran, who was the father of both Milcah and Iscah.
- Isa 65:24Even before they call, I will answer, and while they are still speaking, I will hear.
- Gen 24:45And before I had finished praying in my heart, there was Rebekah coming out with her jar on her shoulder, and she went down to the spring and drew water. So I said to her, ‘Please give me a drink.’
- Ps 65:2O You who listen to prayer, all people will come to You.
- Dan 9:20–23While I was speaking, praying, confessing my sin and that of my people Israel, and presenting my petition before the LORD my God concerning His holy mountain—
- Exod 2:16Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters, and they came to draw water and fill the troughs to water their father’s flock.
- Gen 22:20–23Some time later, Abraham was told, “Milcah has also borne sons to your brother Nahor:
- Ps 34:15The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, and His ears are inclined to their cry.
- Ps 145:18–19The LORD is near to all who call on Him, to all who call out to Him in truth.
- Isa 58:9Then you will call, and the LORD will answer; you will cry out, and He will say, ‘Here I am.’ If you remove the yoke from your midst, the pointing of the finger and malicious talk,
- Ruth 2:17So Ruth gathered grain in the field until evening. And when she beat out what she had gleaned, it was about an ephah of barley.
- Judg 6:36–40Then Gideon said to God, “If You are going to save Israel by my hand, as You have said,
- Ruth 2:2And Ruth the Moabitess said to Naomi, “Please let me go into the fields and glean heads of grain after someone in whose sight I may find favor.” “Go ahead, my daughter,” Naomi replied.
- Gen 29:9While he was still speaking with them, Rachel arrived with her father’s sheep, for she was a shepherdess.
- Gen 11:27This is the account of Terah. Terah became the father of Abram, Nahor, and Haran. And Haran became the father of Lot.
- Gen 24:24She replied, “I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son that Milcah bore to Nahor.”
- Gen 21:14Early in the morning, Abraham got up, took bread and a skin of water, put them on Hagar’s shoulders, and sent her away with the boy. She left and wandered in the Wilderness of Beersheba.
- Prov 31:27She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.
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Christ at the center
From the first promise that the seed of the woman would crush the serpent (3:15), through Abraham's blessing to all nations and Judah's coming ruler, Genesis sows every seed that flowers in Christ — the true offspring, the better Adam, the ram caught for Isaac.
How Genesis 24:15 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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